new thread new project

[Railomatic]

Now that my home made gas powered mill has been chewed and digested, I'm embarking on a fully hydraulic version that can be driven by any medium sized farm tractor with around 60 litres per min flow rate.

This will ease the operator by having lifting gear, the motors are relatively cheap today running at around 100 pound each, and one can do so many things with hydraulics, not to mention any or most tractors have the ready power supply at the back via quick conect couplings.

The new mill will still be in keeping with the first, being small and portable and will keep all of the designs from its sister.

I already have the rams and metal from a factory conveyor system, both second hand, and most of the other metal spare from making the first mill.

Estimated cost of this one should be the same as the gas version, or a tad lower $ 1500.00 complete, a really cheap mill capable of handling 30 inch logs.

 

[VT-Woodchuck]

Can't wait for more reports and pictures! Your last project really got the juices flowing for me. Thanks!

 

[woodshop]

So Rail... sheeesh where do you get the time to "play" like this, I'm jealous

Can't wait to see pics of your new project. You do inspire me... to say the least.

 

[Railomatic]

finding the time, share it and you will all prevail

Finding time is not easy, I have all sorts of projects running some funded some not, but our research and development program never stops, we have lots of knowledge concentrated into one big think tank.

These individuals all share thier knowledge and sometimes we come up with some neat ideas, I was talking to one of the guys today, and he said most of what we sometimes think is unique, has really been done before using a different approach.

When I first started to think about making a home made band mill, I had some ideas of how I was going to do things, I posted some of those ideas on the forum, then a forum member PM'd me offering his help,, so we embarled on the route of using some of his ideas, with a few of mine thrown in.

A few weeks went by, the mill you saw was the fruits of that help, since then we have exchanged ideas and I have repaid him in part by making his web-site for him, that guy is called GENE1605, you can see his stuff at www.alaskabandsawmills.com.

 

[hautions11]

Rail that is a great story and an interesting mill project. Congratulations. One edit though. On the Alskan story page you left the pounds symbol on the 4500. Quick fix.

Great job!

 

[sawsong]

Finding time is not easy, I have all sorts of projects running some funded some not, but our research and development program never stops, we have lots of knowledge concentrated into one big think tank.

These individuals all share thier knowledge and sometimes we come up with some neat ideas, I was talking to one of the guys today, and he said most of what we sometimes think is unique, has really been done before using a different approach.

When I first started to think about making a home made band mill, I had some ideas of how I was going to do things, I posted some of those ideas on the forum, then a forum member PM'd me offering his help,, so we embarled on the route of using some of his ideas, with a few of mine thrown in.

A few weeks went by, the mill you saw was the fruits of that help, since then we have exchanged ideas and I have repaid him in part by making his web-site for him, that guy is called GENE1605, you can see his stuff at www.alaskabandsawmills.com.

im almost certain I saw those self same mills alongside some chainsaw mills at LAMMA this year at newark showground?? probably just identical design though

 

[2cyblowtrch]

VT-woodchuck

How do you like the woodbug? Been looking for a used one. Have several Granbergs and like the looks/principles of the woodbug.

 

[VT-Woodchuck]

How do you like the woodbug? Been looking for a used one. Have several Granbergs and like the looks/principles of the woodbug.

I like it and am presently planning on building a 4ft extension so that I can cut 12ft logs. I started out with an Alaskan and soon decided there had to be an easier way. That's a relative statement as the WB is a little labor intensive, but that's part of the fun. The Woodbug was a midlife crisis purchase about 10 yrs ago. I am thinking of adding a small bandsaw mill - Woodbug to cut cants and bandsaw for lumber.

 

[Railomatic]

im almost certain I saw those self same mills alongside some chainsaw mills at LAMMA this year at newark showground?? probably just identical design though

As I mentioned before, this was indeed a version of the Alaskan bandsaw mill by Gene1605 from this forum, who helped me build it, the mill I made with Gene's help was indeed at the LAMMA show in Newark, England that took one of the 1st prises for the best innovative product of 2007 costing less than 5000 sterling.

Gene1605 in blue
My version is red

The chainsaw mills I have made were also on my stand in hall 9 that blew away in the 90 mph gusts we had that day, luckily our end of the marquee survived the storms.

Raily.

 

[FJH]

Hydralic!?

I have build a unit that may be of intrest to you folks ,It runs off the tractor pto!I'm not completly finished it yet but will try post some pic's the next few days!As I use the tractor for most everything it is now also the power pack for my band mill as well as the skider / log loader ect !I made it from misc parts and pieces of and old road side bush wacker! A 30 gpm hyd pump and motor. and some second hyd valving yada yada!I'll try get some pics up!I bought my my blade rollers from Cooks because my origanal roller bearing set up wasn't standing up to water well,but the rest is my own stuff!

Stay tuned news at 11:00

 

[Railomatic]

I am also working on a hydro-Mill or that's what I'm going to call it, it runs off of the tractors oil pump, lifting gear and all, you need at least 60 litres per minute to run things, mostly seperatly, when your cutting your not lifting and so on.
Most modern tractors of around 100 hp have the required flow rate, quick and easy, just plug her in and away you go.

You can use a PTO pump or a power pack, but most tractors have all the requirements built in, some small ATV's like Kubota can be converted to run hydraulics too.

Most hydraulic motors and similar are quite cheap right now coming in from Italy, rams are easy to find second hand.

I have already have the saw motor and the feed motor, rams etc, but I must get all my other projects done first.

 

[FJH]

hydramill

I wanted the quick and easy thats why pto driven worked for me and any tractor with a pto will run it,the unit is its own enity,back the tractor up to it and hook up the shaft and your running!I also don't beleive you'll have the volume of oil you needed in the tractors sump to run such a a big motor 30 gpm is a lot of oil .I have a 60 + litre tank and the oil still gets warm.
I find it very cheap to run ,ya may burn a 5 litres a day including log handling (loading the mill ,moving slabs and moving lumber about Ect!
The biggest expence is having the blades sharpened.the blades last at best 3 hours.
youll find the biggest building expense is the hydralic line #16 hose aint cheap!Hopfully you can scronge good used stuff from somone parting out a machine of some sort.
I have 100 ft of it coiled up on the mill 50/50 return, the mill will cut 25 ft in a pinch.

Observations

Make sure you have a preasure gauge in the system that you can readlly see it takes no more than 100-300 psi when cutting and if you go beyond that the boards become wavy!Your pushing the saw.Slow and steady wins the race.

 

[Railomatic]

Please can you tell me what make and model of PTO pump you are using, does the system have an oil coller attached, or does she stay cool enough to keep going whatever.

I agree with you totally on slow and easy is the best attack, if I push too hard any knots, especially in pines, tends to try and deflect the band.

I too was only getting the same time as yourself out of a sharp blade, I'm cutting max width most of the time 24" plus and I was using about four blades a day minimum, now I have tipped bands and I would never go back.

Got you on the pressure gauge thing, I will have to fit one in there soon as.

Have you got any pictures of your rig to see ?

 

[FJH]

Please can you tell me what make and model of PTO pump you are using, does the system have an oil coller attached, or does she stay cool enough to keep going whatever.

I agree with you totally on slow and easy is the best attack, if I push too hard any knots, especially in pines, tends to try and deflect the band.

I too was only getting the same time as yourself out of a sharp blade, I'm cutting max width most of the time 24" plus and I was using about four blades a day minimum, now I have tipped bands and I would never go back.

Got you on the pressure gauge thing, I will have to fit one in there soon as.

Have you got any pictures of your rig to see ?

Sorry I have no pictures as yet All I have is a cell phone to take pictures with as soon As i get some I will post pictures of both my chain saw mill and the band mill for you guys!Both saws are rather unique.(Likly this week end )I'm going to be sawing some 21 ft planks . I will try and get the specs on my pump for you!It is aprox 3 to 1 over driven thru a chain drive gear case.No cooler I have lots of oil aprox 60 to 100 litres (It could probably get by with less?)But it gets quite warm !you wouldn't burn your hand on the tank but you would hold your hand on it all day either.

WHAT TIP is on your blades??????
I really want to try one.
My blade is 198 inches long by 1 1/2

Found the No's Its a Comercial pump
ser 034-1390
psc a498 bf vi 20m
30 gpm

 

[Railomatic]

WHAT TIP is on your blades??????
I really want to try one.
My blade is 198 inches long by 1 1/2

The tips are made from stellite, with a positive rake angle on the teeth making for a stronger stiffer tooth.
The blades are 2-1/2" wide and the smallest the company makes, I will try and get their NH
sister company details from them today for you.

 

[Railomatic]

Tipped blades

I have just spoken to the UK blade manufacturer, who's tipped bands I have and they tell me that they have done extesive reaserch into US companies who offer a similar product, and it is Simmons that is the best bet at getting these blades, as they make and sell the machines for making them, so they would have the addresses of the compainies who use their machines.

If some would like to get or try one of their bands, then you can contact
David Bennett on + 44 01325 332656, or go direct to their web-site at
http://www.engnetglobal.com/c/f.aspx/ERN002.

I have just been told by them that whilst cutting the wideset boards you should be able to get a full days work out of a blade before it needs sharpening, this I can confirm after doing this myself.

Stellite blades are designed mainly for cuting softwoods, but will handle hardwoods very well, if you are cutting mainly hardwoods, then the teeth configuration and angle can be altered to accomodate this.